It would be impossible to name all the many Saints who discovered in the Rosary a genuine path to growth in holiness. We need but mention Saint Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort… , Padre Pio of Pietrelcina… Blessed Bartolo Longo had a special charism. His path to holiness rested on an inspiration heard in the depths of his heart: “Whoever spreads the Rosary is saved!”. As a result, he felt called to build a Church dedicated to Our Lady of the Holy Rosary in Pompei, By his whole life’s work … Bartolo Longo promoted the Christocentric and contemplative heart of the Rosary, and received great encouragement and support from Leo XIII, the “Pope of the Rosary”.
CHAPTER I - CONTEMPLATING CHRIST WITH MARY
A face radiant as the sun
“And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun” (Mt 17:2). The Gospel scene of Christ’s transfiguration, in which the three Apostles Peter, James and John appear entranced by the beauty of the Redeemer, can be seen as an icon of Christian contemplation. To look upon the face of Christ, to recognize its mystery amid the daily events and the sufferings of his human life, and then to grasp the divine splendour definitively revealed in the Risen Lord, seated in glory at the right hand of the Father: this is the task of every follower of Christ and therefore the task of each one of us. In contemplating Christ’s face we become open to receiving the mystery of Trinitarian life, experiencing ever anew the love of the Father and delighting in the joy of the Holy Spirit. Saint Paul’s words can then be applied to us: “Beholding the glory of the Lord, we are being changed into his likeness, from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2Cor 3:18).
Again, it is important to realize there are two meanings given to the word “contemplation”. There is an acquired prayer, similar to pondering (“contemplating”) a sunset or any natural beauty with our minds and hearts. This is a form of mental prayer, but there is also what Saints and Theologians have termed “infused contemplation” which is a gift God can give to souls who persevere through the stages of spiritual growth. Infused contemplation is a supernatural gift we cannot give ourselves, yet God calls us to it, so that we can receive it from Him. Yesterday was the Feast of St. John of the Cross who wrote extensively about spiritual growth, along with St. Teresa of Avila and St. Catherine of Siena. If anyone would like to read more on this from a layman’s perspective, see HERE
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